Need Advice on Nursing Career - very stressed

[IcanHealYou]

Hi everyone,

I have been working as an RN for about 1 year and 4 months now on a medicine unit with 2 step downs. The job was never easy but I still enjoyed what I did and the experience that I gained. I've recently started to feel very stressed with the job and starting to feel anxiety during and out of work. There are many things that I believe are causing this.

I think the thing that bothers me the most is the lack of Camaraderie between nurses. Yes, we help each other during the shift but I feel it's just being done out of courtesy and not a genuine willingness to help. I feel the stressful environment kind of kills camaraderie. People sometimes snap at each other and the gossip... I'm tired of it. I'm usually described as a very laid back person so I like to talk to people my own way and make things as smooth as possible.

I feel like there are just too many Type A personalities among nurses. People always complain about the doctor/nurse relationship and how doctors are disrespectful, but from experience it's the nurses to treat the doctors with no respect. Constantly saying they don't know what they're doing, or right off the bat attacking them when they need something for the patient. I don't know how it is for other people but when someone snaps or yells at me, it throws me off balance. I get angry, and i lose track of things.

I'm tired of being scared to go to work to have my co workers grill me on something I didn't do or didn't do well. I can take constructive criticism but not bickering. From hearing stories from my friends, its the same everywhere.

Maybe bedside nursing just isnt for me... I know people that are a lot less stressed and make a lot more. I got into this profession cause I enjoy the knowledge and I want to help people get better. The stress and the amount of work that is expected is wearing me down. It's become more about me finishing my work on time so that I won't get ******* at than about me spending more time with a patient that actually needs me.

Sorry for the long post but what I'm really trying to get at is advice for a sect of nursing that might be for me. I love being a nurse, but I can't see myself doing it for long if it's wearing down my health.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

you are right. Stressful environments affect productivity. The good thing about nursing is that you do not have to work in a hospital. Try some other venue for a while to compare.

[RNperdiem, RN]

How is your personal life outside nursing?

Do you maintain your friendships and talk to your family regularly? If you have a personal problem, is there someone outside of work you can see?

I am wondering if you are expecting too much of your coworkers. Yes, occasionally some coworkers might become friends, but most nurses maintain professional relationships.

Helping each other is usually out of courtesy.

Trust me, I am not helping you clean up the combative, obese and incontinent patient because of my fondness for the task, it is professional courtesy so that when I am take care of that patient tomorrow and need help, you will reciprocate.

I am sorry about the stressful job.

Don't be too quick to get outside of bedside nursing, perhaps try a different unit or a different speciality.

[Annaiya, NP]

It sounds to me like it would be worth trying another floor before you give up entirely. Do you have float pool nurses at your facility? They can be great people to ask about what it is like on the different floors and you can ask them which floors have the best teamwork and seem the happiest. If it is more just the relationships and gossip that bother you, you might want to consider working float pool. The nurses I know in it like it because they don't have to deal with any floor gossip or politics. They can just come to work, take care of their patients and go home.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

hi everyone,

i think the thing that bothers me the most is the lack of camaraderie between nurses. yes, we help each other during the shift but i feel it's just being done out of courtesy and not a genuine willingness to help. i feel the stressful environment kind of kills camaraderie. people sometimes snap at each other and the gossip... i'm tired of it. i'm usually described as a very laid back person so i like to talk to people my own way and make things as smooth as possible.

i think it's great that the nurses help each other during the shift-doing it "out of courtesy" is a good enough reason for me. maybe you're expecting a little too much of your coworkers.

i'm not saying your other complaints are not valid; just that this one seems a little nit picky.

[IcanHealYou]

THanks for the reply guys. I guess you're right about me being too nit picky about the help. I do have a very healthy social life. I'm really starting to seek out new sects of nursing. My original plan was to become an FNP when I was first interested in nursing.

While I still want to become one, I want to be an RN an experience things that might peek my interest. Sadly the medicine floor isn't one, at least not a long term commitment.

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

What about hitting all the nursing agencies near you? You could then very probably work what shifts, hours and days you want to. You can probably also work where you want to a certain extent.

Don't stay somewhere where you are really stressed all the time. Your adrenaline and cortisol levels will keep rising and that damages all your cells and stresses you out. Some stressful jobs I have just walked away and left, I know you probably can't just do that - I didn't have kids or a mortgage to worry about - but try to get another position b4 you leave.

[IcanHealYou]

What about hitting all the nursing agencies near you? You could then very probably work what shifts, hours and days you want to. You can probably also work where you want to a certain extent.

Don't stay somewhere where you are really stressed all the time. Your adrenaline and cortisol levels will keep rising and that damages all your cells and stresses you out. Some stressful jobs I have just walked away and left, I know you probably can't just do that - I didn't have kids or a mortgage to worry about - but try to get another position b4 you leave.

At least that's the great thing about nursing. I can move around anytime especially since I have some experience. I don't have kids or a mortgage either. The money is great where I'm working now. I just hope I can make as much working for agencies and still have good benefits.

[Up2nogood RN, RN]

It's taken me some time to learn cope with the realities of nursing. Some nurses are cattier than others. They are very passive aggressive and miserable to work with. I've learned it's not me, they act this way to everyone. The fact is they are on every unit no matter where you go. Being in the float pool is a good suggestion as you never have to get involved with unit politics.

FWIW nursing agencies usually offer crummy benefits and unless you're working under an agency contract you will always be cancelled first.

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

THanks for the reply guys. I guess you're right about me being too nit picky about the help. I do have a very healthy social life. I'm really starting to seek out new sects of nursing. My original plan was to become an FNP when I was first interested in nursing.

While I still want to become one, I want to be an RN an experience things that might peek my interest. Sadly the medicine floor isn't one, at least not a long term commitment.

Since you are interested in FNP in the long run, what about trying to get on at an ED somewhere? From what I've heard, it tends to be a very close-knit group, and it is excellent experience for a future FNP. Just a thought :)